The Happening: Wahlberg to Star, Release Date Set

Mark Wahlberg has been set to star in The Happening, the thriller that M. Night Shyamalan will direct in August in Philadelphia for 20th Century Fox, reports Variety.

Wahlberg will play a man who takes his family on the run when the world turns upside and a cataclysmic natural crisis threatens to end the world.

Shyamalan brought back his Unbreakable and The Sixth Sense producer Barry Mendel to produce with Sam Mercer, and also brought with him a co-financier in India-based UTV.

The studio has carved out plans to release the film worldwide on Friday, June 13, 2008.

“Friday the 13th has very distinctive, global connotations, which make it the ideal launching pad for this frightening thriller,” 20th domestic distribution president Bruce Snyder said in a statement.

“Mark has a unique blend of charisma, humanity, authenticity and skillfulness as an actor,” Shyamalan said. “All of which coalesced at this moment in his career, making him the perfect person to take on the role of Eliot Moore, the science teacher at the center of this event.”

Religious movie star Mark Wahlberg struggled with the script in director M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie The Happening – because his character was required to blaspheme. Wahlberg has no problems swearing in his often gritty […]

I'm an aspiring actor and i just love Shyamalan's work! He is one of my favourite directors and his work is so hypnotizing, so anything he doese is worth waiting for. Friday the 13th just sounds like him 🙂

Just wanted to thank M. Night for making his movies in the Philly Burbs. I makes us feel a little more in touch with the world. M. Night has a wonderful way of including the common every day working class people feel famous. Thank You…. Can't wait!